Is there a correlation between Purim and The Tribulation? Are their lessons we need to learn to be prepared for what God warns us is coming? The answer is, “Yes.”
So what is Purim all about?
It is the commemoration and celebration of God’s protection of the Jewish people from annihilation in the city of Shushan, the capital of Persia.
But it was more than just the protection, as God did when the Jews left Egypt, God enabled the Jews to plunder their enemy!
Psalm 7:14-16
Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity;
Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.
1He made a pit and dug it out,
And has fallen into the ditch which he made.
His trouble shall return upon his own head,
And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.
Traditions change over the years, but costumes have been long a favorite. Years ago the costumes told the story: the king, Esther, Mordecai and Haman. But today, the adults enjoy the opportunity, so costumes range from Biblical, to demonic and especially in Tel Aviv quite risqué
Another tradition is the reading of the story. And again, everyone gets into the act: Esther receives whistles, Mordecai receives cheers; and when Haman name is mentioned, out come the noise makers, stamping feet and lots of boooos.
It is a time of great frivolity!
As so often happens with celebrations, we lose deeper meaning and application to our lives.
We’ve already recognized that purpose and destiny is the key element in this story; specifically, Esther’s rising to Mordecai’s challenge to fulfill God’s purpose and destiny for her, even if it meant her life!
And this is where we see the connection between Purim and The Tribulation.
We’ve seen that God has a purpose with privileges and responsibilities for us all, individually and corporately: for Israel, for the nations, and for the Church. Sadly, we all have fallen short and God warned us that there would be consequences.
In His grace and mercy, God has given us a choice: forgiveness, redemption and reconciliation to God by His grace through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Yeshua or rejection of His offer and rebellion against His plan and purpose for our lives.
Simply the choice is reconciliation and redemption or rebellion and rejection.
The Tribulation is God’s response to those who chose the second option. It is a time when every man, woman, Jew and Gentile will face His judgement and wrath.
So how do we get from Purim to The Tribulation? Choices!
First we see the sins of the Gentiles who rather than bless the Jews, they cursed them.
What about the individuals? Haman had many of the characteristics of the antichrist. He was arrogant, devious and determined to annihilate the Jews. The King was prideful, ready to banish his wife because she embarrassed him. Selfishly he took all young and beautiful girls, used them and kept them prisoners in his harem. Then he was easily convinced by Haman’s rhetoric to annihilate the Jews.
And what about the Jews? What were they doing in Shushan? Remember, Israel is the only nation with whom God has made a covenant which included the land…the land on which He chose to put His name. A land which had a purpose and a destiny which involved the Jewish people. Anyone who tried to divide that land would meet with the wrath of God.
When Jews were being disciplined, they were expelled from the land…but the land of Israel is where they belonged and to where they would ultimately return
So what were they doing in Shushan?
Time for a history lesson.
In 722 BC the first group of Jews were brought there by King Shalmaneser V when he conquered the Northern Kingdom. Later in 586 the Babylonians expelled large populations of Jews from Judea into the Babylonian captivity.
Then in 538 BC King Cyrus the Great encouraged the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. Only a small number of Jews returned.
Almost a hundred of years later, Artaxerxes, offered the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, but again many of the Jews remained in their comfortable Persian life.
Admittedly the story of Purim happened between these two kings, but the reality is that the Jews are still in Persia, modern day Iran!
They rejected the offer to go home; they chose to stay. They were comfortable, they had become accustomed to their lifestyles. Friends, history repeated itself in Europe in the 20’s. There had been years of warnings of the danger that was appearing against the Jews. In Holland, Germany, Poland, Hungary, the Jews refused to leave, refusing to believe the warnings…until it was too late.
And the Jews are still in Iran feeling “safe and respected!”
Every one of us is faced with choices; they may not be as severe, but every day there are increasing challenges. All around us our way of life is changing and being challenged at breath-taking speed.
We have to start preparing ourselves now.
Will we face the difficulties of being different?
Will we accept being uncomfortable?
Most important, will we fulfill God’s plan, purpose and destiny as unto death?
And this, Beloved, is where Purim and The Tribulation coincide….the issue of choice
reconciliation and redemption or rebellion and rejection
And let’s not forget our heroes Mordecai and Esther who model how to respond in a crisis. Both were serious about their privilege and responsibility and the steps they took to fulfill their purpose are models for us today.
- Fast
- Pray
- Seek the Lord for His will
- Trust Him
- Obey, regardless of the cost.
Remember the words of Daniel:
Daniel 11:32b
[The people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits.
PRAY FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE THAT AS THEY CELEBRATE PURIM THEY WILL CONSIDER THEIR PURPOSE AND FULFILL THEIR DESTINY.
